Study on Estimation Method of Ore Pressure Utilizing Coupling Analysis of DEM and FEM

Abstract

Nowadays, the static ore pressure can be evaluated with the adequate accuracy by the explicit calculation formula, whereas as for the dynamic ore pressure, the exact calculation formula seems not to have been proposed yet.

The purpose of this study is to clarify not only static but also dynamic ore pressures utilizing the distinct element method (DEM) that can simulate the behavior of individual ore particles. The calculation program considering the coupling effect of the ore particle's motion and the ship hull structure's deformation utilizing DEM and the finite element method (FEM) is developed.

At first, an experiment using the scaled hold model was performed in order to examine the compaction behavior of ore under the repeated rolling motion. Secondly, the accuracy of calculation results by DEM was confirmed comparing with the ore pressure estimated from experimental results in both static and dynamic conditions. Finally, the ore pressure acting on the hold structure of actual ore bulk carrier was calculated under the condition of static and repeated rolling motion of ship utilizing the proposed calculation procedure.